Local Detection of Enhanced Hot Electron Scattering in InSb/CdTe Heterostructure Interface

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel scanning noise microscope technique to visualize hot electron scattering at the InSb/CdTe heterojunction interface, providing insights into interfacial properties crucial for spintronic device optimization.

Contribution

It presents a new real-space, nondestructive method for characterizing heterojunction interfaces using a specialized scanning probe microscope.

Findings

Near-field signals originate from Coulomb scattering of charged ions on electrons.

The method visualizes hot electron scattering at heterojunction interfaces.

This technique aids in improving heterojunction performance for spintronics.

Abstract

The InSb/CdTe heterojunction structure, characterized by low effective mass and high electron mobility, exhibits interfacial energy band bending, leading to the Rashba spin-orbit coupling effect and nonreciprocal transport, which makes its suitable for spintronic devices with broad applications in logic and storage fields. However, the complex heterojunction interfaces of InSb/CdTe, composed of group III-V and group II-VI semiconductors, are prone to interdiffusion. Therefore, characterization and study of the interfacial properties of InSb/CdTe heterojunctions are crucial for the growth improvement of the InSb/CdTe material system as well as its application in the field of spintronics. In this study, a novel scanning probe microscope, called a scanning noise microscope, was applied to visualize hot electron scattering in InSb/CdTe nano-devices. The results demonstrated that the near-field signal originates from the Coulomb scattering of charged ions on electrons at the interface of the embedded layer heterojunction. This real-space, nondestructive characterization of the heterojunction interface properties offers a new tool for enhancing the performance of heterojunctions.